Non-Bank Financial Institutions

Nonbank financial institutions (NBFIs) vary from country to country by types of providers, options for using the services, and presence in the market. In some countries, they may resemble traditional banks in all but name; in others, they may be niche institutions that provide financial services specific to key demographic groups, such as the agricultural sector. In most markets, microfinance institutions (MFIs) serve as one type of NBFI. Post office banks, cooperatives, and savings and credit cooperative organizations (SACCOs) are also common forms of NBFIs operating in the FII program countries. NBFIs often serve similar numbers of women and men, making them an especially important component to inclusion. In many of the FII countries, women are at least as likely as men to have access to NBFIs, while being much less likely to have access to a bank.